Inlet valve for gun for refractories



Oct. 13, 1964 l. M. RIDLEY 3,1

INLET VALVE FOR GUN FOR REFRACTORIES Filed Dec. 22, 1960 34 I Z4 Z4 40 MM. m6. 4. BY flw ww United States Patent 3,152,624 INLET VALVE FOR GUN FOR REFRACTOREES Ian M. Ridley, Los Angeles, Calif, assignor to Ridley and Company, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif, a corporation of Caiifornia Filed Dec. 22, 1960, Ser. No. 77,s25 Claims. (Cl. 141-331) This invention relates to an improved valve for a cementitious material mixer, and particularly to a pressure tight feed materials valve for a materials shooting apparatus, such as a cement or concrete gun.

In cement or concrete shooting apparatus, pressures are employed, and it is desirable to have a feed materials valve which can be closed conveniently and positively to seal in the desired pressures for the shooting operation. The feed materials valve should be capable of being conveniently closed by the operator after the feed materials have been charged to the cement mixer. Particulate matter deposited on the valve seat should not cause leakage while the gun is pressurized.

The valve should be capable of being closed by a single convenient operation of the operator so that during the shooting operation, the operator of the nozzle of the apparatus, some distance removed from the cement mixer, can be certain that the valve is positively closed to maintain shooting pressures. The valve should be durable and rugged to withstand the rough handling and usage to which valves of this type are subjected. In addition, the valve should be of relatively simple and economic design so that its construction, maintenance and replacement costs will be kept at a low figure.

It is a primary object of my invention to provide a rugged and durable feed materials valve for a materials shooting apparatus which meets the above requirements but additionally is so constructed that the working mechanism or actuating shafts are removed from the central area of the gun allowing free fall of material through the hopper.

Another object is to provide an improved cementitious feed materials valve as in the foregoing object capable of being closed conveniently and positively to seal pressures in a pressurized vessel without the development of troublesome leakages due to particulate matter adhering to the seat of the valve.

A further object is to provide a valve for sealing in pressures in concrete or cement shooting apparatus at the base of a feed materials inlet opening as in the foregoing objects which is designed to be low in cost, positive in operation and effective in maintaining shooting pressures in the gun.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my earlier filed application, Serial No. 569,386, filed March 5, 1956, now abandoned.

Additional objects will become apparent from the following description:

In general terms, my invention comprehends a valve for a materials shooting apparatus comprising an annular valve seat means and a valve means having a curved surface for engagement with the valve seat means while the valve means is moved arcuately relative to the seat means. Stem means are connected to a lateral or peripherally extended part of the valve means. The said extended part of the valve means is yieldably mounted for axial movement on the stem means while opening and closing the valve. The stem is not normal to the valve axis but is at an angle thereto. Suitable means for rotary movement of the stem means are connected thereto so that the valve can conveniently be opened and closed to positively seal in pressures in the cement materials mixer.

The valve seat means preferably comprises a circular, resilient ring attached to the inner end of a feed mate- "ice rials hopper extending cylindrically into the interior of the apparatus. The valve means preferably is mounted yieldably using a coil spring to yield axially on the stern so that the valve means can be moved in an arcuate path relative to the seat means. The stem preferably is in the form of an axle rotatably mounted in a wall of the apparatus adjacent the hopper. The stem is adapted for moving the valve means relative to the ring seat between an open and a closed position. The valve means preferably is provided with a surface of spherical curvature having a convenient radius of curvature adapted for effective valve operation as will be described hereinafter.

A more detailed description of a specific embodiment of my invention is given with reference to the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial sectional elevational view showing a specific embodiment of the valve mounted in the top of a materials shooting apparatus at the base of a feed materials hopper;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view partially in section showing the positioning of the valve at its closed positions;

FIG. 3 is a sectional View taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1 illustrating the valve operation; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1 showing the mounting of the actuating stem.

In the specific embodiment of my invention shown in the drawing, a loading hopper 10 is mounted in the curved top 11 of a cylindrical materials shooting vessel 12. The hopper 10 consists of a feed materials funnel 13 for convenient introduction of feed materials therein. The funnel 13 has a cylindrical section 14. The section 14, in turn, is mounted in the top 11 of the vessel 12 so that materials fed into funnel 13 pass through cylindrical section 14 and are discharged into the interior of the vessel 12 when the valve at the base of section 14 is in the open position. Numeral 15 designates a mounting member curved contiguously with top 11.

The valve at the base of section 14 comprises a seat consisting of a resilient ring 16 which may be held in position by a ring or bracket 17. The bracket 17 is fastened to the inside of top 11, as indicated. The ring 16 preferably is made of rubber, and is made somewhat larger in outside diameter than the inside diameter of ring or bracket 17 so that the resilience of the ring will. maintain it in position in the bracket. It will be seen that by this arrangement the ring 16 can be readily installed and removed from bracket 17 and yet will be firmly held in place during service.

The valve 18 is provided with a surface 19 having a spherical curvature. An extending portion 21 is integral with the spherical surface 19 to extend peripherally from the valve seating part of the valve. Portion 21 is a con tinuation of the spherical surface U.

The part 21 has a central aperture and a bushing 22 journalled on the operating stem, shaft or axle 24. Numeral 23 designates a spring on shaft 24 normally biasing shaft 24 inwardly.

The stem or axle 24 is rotatably mounted in top wall 11 of the mixing vessel 12. Packing rings 29 are positioned in the bearing housing 27 around axle 24 to form a gas tight seal for the prevention of gas'leakage from the inside of vessel 12 along axle 24. It will be observed that stem or axle 24 is disposed at an angle to the axis of the opening in section 14. Two bearings 31 and 32 are provided within bearing housing 27 held by spacer sleeves 33 and 34. Numeral 41) is a disc on stem 24 adjacent the packing rings. Bearing housing 27 has an end cap 41.

The outer end 45 of axle 24 is adapted to receive an operating handle 46 for turning axle 24 between valve Patented Oct. 13, 1964 open and closed positions. The handle may operate between stops if desired.

The radius of curvature of the spherical surface 19 is the distance from the point of intersection of the axis of opening 14 with the axis of stem 24. The spherical surface 19 will both yieldably and resiliently engage the ring 16 throughout the movement of the valve in an arcuate path around axle 24 from the open position to the closed position of the valve to wipe any adhering particulate matter from the surface of the ring 16 and the surface 19 of the valve. The action is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

By this wiping action, the contact surfaces between the ring 16 and the surface 19 are kept free of adhering particulate matter which may tend to cause leakage of air past the valve when mixing vessel 12 is pressurized during the shooting operation. The spring 23 is designed to be loaded to the desired degree to impart the proper degree of pressure to .spherical surface 19 for effectively carrying out this wiping operation.

The radius of curved surface 19 may be varied somewhat within the principles of the invention. Stem or axle 24 is not normal to the axis of the valve seat but is at an angle thereto. The actuating stem is connected directly to a peripheral part of the valve. The working parts, that is the actuating shaft and member are removed from the central area of the vessel allowing a free fall of material through the hopper.

For a complete description of the construction of a concrete or cement shooting apparatus and the shooting operation, reference is made to co-pending application, Serial No. 569,387, now Patent 2,942,860, filed jointly on by the present inventor and Richard L. Klosterman.

It will be seen that the valve construction shown is rugged and durable and able to withstand continued rough usage in this type of apparatus and operation. Worn seat rings 16 and worn valves 18 can conveniently be removed and replaced by new parts with a minimum amount of labor and loss of operating time. The cost of rings 16 and valves 18 is relatively low. The structure is very effective even though simplified in that the rotatable operating stem in effect connects directly to the valve itself.

A pressure tight seal is made when the valve 18 is moved to the closed position because particulate matter such as sand and gravel is wiped free from the surface 19 of the valve and the surfaec of seat ring 16. Also, the internal pressure of the pressurized mixing chamber 12 acts on the inside surface of valve 18 and forces the spherical surface of the valve 19 upward into tight engagement with the seating surface of the ring 16 to tightly close the valve and securely seal the pressure inside chamber 12. Valve 19 moves laterally, arcuately in opening and closing as a result of rotation of stem 24. Spring 23 avoids axial rigidity as between part 21 and stem 24 allowing resilient movement along the axis of stem 24.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in what I have conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of my invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent structure.

Having described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A closure arrangement for a materials shooting apparatus comprising valve seat means, valve means having a curved surface for engagement with the seat means, stern means connected to a peripheral portion of the valve means mounted for movement of the valve means with respect to said seat means, said stem means extending away from the convex side of said curved surface and means for pivotal movement of the stem about its own axis means for operation of the valve means.

2. A closure arrangement for a materials shooting apparatus comprising an annular valve seat means, valve means including a portion having a surface of spherical curvature for engagement with the seat means, and a portion extending from the periphery of the first portion, stem means connected to the said second portion positioned on the convex side of said first portion mounted for movement of the valve means with respect to the seat means, and means for pivotal movement of the stem means, the said stem lying along a radius of said spherical surface.

3. A closure arrangement for a materials shooting apparatus comprising a resilient ring means, valve means having a surface of spherical curvature for gas-tight engagement with the seat means, stem means connected to a peripheral part of the valve means mounted for pivotal movement of the valve means about an axis displaced from the central axis of the seat means, and means for pivotal movement of the stem means about said axis, said axis lying along a radius of said surface.

4. A feed materials closure arrangement for a materials shooting apparatus having hopper means communicating with a vessel comprising resilient ring means on the hopper means, valve means having a surface of spherical curvature for gas-tight engagement with the seat means, means extending away from the periphery of the convex side of the valve means, stem means yieldably connected to the extending means and mounted for movement of the valve means between an open and a closed position of the valve means relative to the resilient ring means, and means for pivotal movement of the stem means about its axis.

5. A feed materials closure arrangement for a materials shooting apparatus having a hopper extending cylindrically into the interior of a mixer comprising a circular resilient ring attached to the inner end of the hopper to coincide therewith, valve means yieldably mounted on a stem to yield axially thereon, axle means rotatably mounted in a wall of the mixer adjacent the hopper and connected to the stern for pivoting the valve means in an arcuate path relative to the ring between an open and a closed position, and a spherical surface on the valve means having a portion extending beyond the opening in the hopper, the spherical surface being adapted for gastight seating in the ring in the closed position of the valve means, the stem being connected to said extending portion, on the convex side thereof and rotatable about its axis for moving the valve means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 577,987 Nuckols et al. Mar. 2, 1897 1,267,635 Cox May 28, 1918 1,368,448 Minch Feb. 15, 1921 1,654,050 Page Dec. 27, 1927 1,929,694 Judson Oct. 10, 1933 2,302,972 Nuckols Nov. 24, 1942 2,949,275 Pro Aug. 16, 1960 

1. A CLOSURE ARRANGEMENT FOR A MATERIALS SHOOTING APPARATUS COMPRISING VALVE SEAT MEANS, VALVE MEANS HAVING A CURVED SURFACE FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SEAT MEANS, STEM MEANS CONNECTED TO A PERIPHERAL PORTION OF THE VALVE MEANS MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT OF THE VALVE MEANS WITH RESPECT TO SAID SEAT MEANS, SAID STEM MEANS EXTENDING AWAY FROM THE CONVEX SIDE OF SAID CURVED SURFACE AND MEANS FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF THE STEM ABOUT ITS OWN AXIS MEANS FOR OPERATION OF THE VALVE MEANS. 